Shooting fur over a bird dog?

[Onwardoutdoors]

I was listening to the GDIY podcast where they spoke about not shooting too many squirrels and rabbits over your bird dog. I’m itching to get my puppy out this fall and I figured I’d take her to hunt squirrels with me, but I don’t want to ruin her for birds. 9 month old GSP puppy so this is her first season, I don’t want to immediately start bad habits but I also just want to hunt with her.

What are y’all’s experiences and thoughts?

 

[coachdoug87]

I am sure there are people who would disagree with me, but I am not shooting squirrels or rabbits over my GSPs. Nothing against rabbit or squirrel hunting. They are fun to hunt, but I don't want my dogs to know it.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

I’m with coach. I’m not going to do it. It just depends on what kind of dog you want to end up with. A friend of mine loves shooting rabbits in front of his dog. The dog still does fine on birds. Problem is the dog spends way to much time checking out every spot of rodent scent he comes across. I want my dogs covering ground until they find birds.

 

[JustUs4All]

I have not hunted quail for decades but did a lot of it as a younger fellow. We used English Pointers and had some pretty good dogs. We almost never went rabbit hunting but ate a lot of rabbit. We never shot a rabbit that our dog found or jumped but shot every one that we found or jumped ourselves. Dad was relly good at finding the in the bed.

We had one dog that would point the occasional rabbit but generally we created no problems in our dogs with this method. When a rabbit was pointed, we treated it just like any other point until the rabbit jumped then we would just watch it run off and move on.

Now most of the folks we hunted with did not want rabbits shot when their dogs were with us and we honored that and we avoided shooting rabbits that might attract the attention of a young dog.

 

[Railroader]

The old timers said don't do it...

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

I know of several GSP that will tree squirrels. You mite not wanna start that. I’ve never trained a bird dog, but I’ve trained several other working and hunting dogs. One thing that is universal, it’s better to avoid a problem instead of starting one and then having to correct it later on. Patience is the key to training any kind of dog, mite wanna work on that first. I know it’s hard but you’ll be better off. Good luck with your pup.

 

[aabradley82]

Lots more squirrels than quail. Might make a decent meat dog.

 

[trad bow]

My GSP will tree squirrel out in the yard. I don’t honor the tree but out hunting woodcock he doesn’t pay the squirrels any attention.

 

[GLS]

I've had Abby, my oldest of three Britts ,chase a cottontail and ROFAL at the rabbit running circles before she gave up when I called her back. I don't encourage it but take note of European hunters who use their dogs successfully for both. The plan with the pup is to train her on black truffles which apparently are common in S. Ga. pecan groves. Gil